Every story in the world has one of these six basic plot types.
I've always felt that was reductionist, as all this does is describe what amounts to framework, when to me what really matters is the complete building.
Every story in the world has one of these six basic plot types.
I've always felt that was reductionist, as all this does is describe what amounts to framework, when to me what really matters is the complete building.
Heh! It lists the six types, formed by a rather one-dimensionsl analysis, then at the end the article shoots itself in the foot by labelling 'The Ugly Duckling' as a seventh type ;)
AJ
the 'six story types' debate...
There are also only eight notes on a scale and yet endless possibilities to compose a song.
A famous, now deceased, German critic once stated there are even only two literary themes worth writing about, which are love and death. However, he never said that therefore there only should be two books as well.
There are also only eight notes on a scale and yet endless possibilities to compose a song.
You only need to read one book — the dictionary. All the other books are in there, they just rearrange the words differently.
You only need to read one book — the dictionary. All the other books are in there, they just rearrange the words differently.
Unless you chose Merriam-Webster
You only need to read one book — the dictionary. All the other books are in there, they just rearrange the words differently.
While searching for other reasons, I came across a word generator for scrabble on a dictionary site. For my chosen criteria, it came up with about a dozen words of which all but two had definitions in the dictionary.
There was also an advanced version, for which only about 10% of the words returned had definitions within the dictionary.
Based on the advanced version, I suspect that only about 10% of all existing English words were defined in that dictionary. Other popular dictionaries are probably not much better (or worse).
AJ
it came up with about a dozen words of which all but two had definitions in the dictionary.
Then it's not a valid Scrabble word. If challenged, the source is the dictionary.
Then it's not a valid Scrabble word. If challenged, the source is the dictionary.
It is not quite that simple as the 'official' dictionary varies from country to country. In fact it seems that online players often have to agree which of the various dictionaries to abide by. Even then it gets complicated when there are errors in the dictionary chosen. For example.
I do not recall a single publisher attempting to publish an "unabridged" version of a dictionary in decades. The ones who did were massive tomes. I think the latest Oxford Dictionary I saw was something like 20 volumes. The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) was 5 or 6 volumes. It's a massive undertaking, and by the time you finish, many of the words and/or meanings are out of date.
The point was the range of dictionaries recognised by the rules of scrabble, in some cases dictionaries published specifically for scrabble players, and the errors they contain.
Even then it gets complicated when there are errors in the dictionary chosen.
Most scrabble users depend on what's in the 'Official' Scrabble Dictionary. (I've got a couple master Scrabble relatives.)
Most scrabble users depend on what's in the 'Official' Scrabble Dictionary. (I've got a couple master Scrabble relatives.)
My family, though we have a copy of the Official Scrabble Dictionary, have a specific actual dictionary on the shelf that's our official Scrabble dictionary.
And in actual play, it's more complicated than just, "Is it in the dictionary?" The question is, "Am I sure enough that it's not in the dictionary that I'm willing to bet my turn on the answer?" If no one will take that bet, you can play whatever you damn well please.
(People have learned not to take that bet against me.)
My family, though we have a copy of the Official Scrabble Dictionary, have a specific actual dictionary on the shelf that's our official Scrabble dictionary.
The main reason for using the 'Official' Scrabble Dictionary is because it lists EVERY acceptable two, three and four letter words, which is where the highest scores are typically scores (as you get multiple word counts on each move).
A 'normal dictionary' isn't as useful for gaming the game.
You only need to read one book — the dictionary. All the other books are in there, they just rearrange the words differently.
Not unless it is an "unabridged" dictionary - and even then, they likely missed some words.
A famous, now deceased, German critic once stated there are even only two literary themes worth writing about, which are love and death. However, he never said that therefore there only should be two books as well.
"We're more of the love, blood and rhetoric school. Well, we can do you blood and love without the rhetoric, and we can do you blood and rhetoric without the love, and we can do you all three concurrent or consecutive. But we can't give you love and rhetoric without the blood. Blood is compulsory. They're all blood, you see." — The Player, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead